Pictures of Rachel McAdams in Elle

Rachel McAdams Reveals Romantic Role Models and What She Wants From Love in Elle

May 9, 2011

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Rachel McAdams graces Elle's June cover in lots of leather and doesn't shy away from tackling life's big topics in the accompanying interview. The Canadian-born actress has earned a spot among Hollywood's elite and our dream celebrity girl friends with her sweet personality and roles in movies like Mean Girls and The Notebook, and she'll premiere her latest film, Midnight in Paris, at Cannes next week. The Woody Allen movie has Owen Wilson as her leading man, though in real life, she's dating another costar in the movie, Michael Sheen. The pair were spotted hand in hand just this weekend in LA amid rumors that they may be engaged. Rachel opens up in the magazine about her own romantic hopes for the future, what she looks for in a guy, and why she still questions herself when it comes to her career. Here are some highlights:

On being a romantic at heart: "When Billie Holiday comes on, I can’t help but be transported — and I’m sure it wasn’t as romantic then at all — but that’s the wonderful part of my job: dressing up and walking down the street in New York or Toronto, pretending I’m in the '40s."
On her parents' longtime love: "[They are] Still together and still in love. I’m very blessed that way. I had a great example of love in front of me, and that’s probably what makes me such a romantic, because I’ve seen it firsthand."
On the hard truth about relationships: "You grow up and you assume that everyone is like that, and you quickly realize that they’re not, and then you have those days when you wonder if you’re going to find it for yourself. It’s such a hard thing to find. I think it was more that realization that rocked me."
On her Mean Girls memories: "With Mean Girls, I originally auditioned for the part that Lindsay Lohan played. I wouldn’t have seen myself playing Regina at all. But when I read the script, I thought, 'Oh, this part is way more fun; I wonder who will play that . . . ' "
On debating what roles to choose: "Sometimes I don’t think I’m the best person for the job. That was the case with Morning Glory. Sometimes I think, 'Really? You see me as this?' Just because I don’t see myself that way, does that mean I shouldn’t do it? I tend to go, Is this the right decision? What are the ramifications of doing this part? You can start to overanalyze. But once I make the decision, it’s full steam ahead."

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by Lindsay Miller 5

On being a romantic at heart: "When Billie Holiday comes on, I can’t help but be transported — and I’m sure it wasn’t as romantic then at all — but that’s the wonderful part of my job: dressing up and walking down the street in New York or Toronto, pretending I’m in the '40s."
On her parents' longtime love: "[They are] Still together and still in love. I’m very blessed that way. I had a great example of love in front of me, and that’s probably what makes me such a romantic, because I’ve seen it firsthand."
On the hard truth about relationships: "You grow up and you assume that everyone is like that, and you quickly realize that they’re not, and then you have those days when you wonder if you’re going to find it for yourself. It’s such a hard thing to find. I think it was more that realization that rocked me."
On her Mean Girls memories: "With Mean Girls, I originally auditioned for the part that Lindsay Lohan played. I wouldn’t have seen myself playing Regina at all. But when I read the script, I thought, 'Oh, this part is way more fun; I wonder who will play that . . . ' "
On debating what roles to choose: "Sometimes I don’t think I’m the best person for the job. That was the case with Morning Glory. Sometimes I think, 'Really? You see me as this?' Just because I don’t see myself that way, does that mean I shouldn’t do it? I tend to go, Is this the right decision? What are the ramifications of doing this part? You can start to overanalyze. But once I make the decision, it’s full steam ahead."